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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Harvard students, administrators, and staff rallied in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy on the steps of Memorial Church in Harvard Yard Monday.
The crowd of more than 200 chanted "Say it loud, say it clear/Immigrants are welcome here!" and called on the Supreme Court to uphold the Obama-era program.
DACA protects about 700,000 people—often called "dreamers"—brought to the U.S. illegally as children, but now integrated into life in a new home—a life they don't want to lose.
The rally took place on the eve of a Supreme Court hearing on the Trump Administration's efforts to end the program.
Rally speaker Dr. Dalia Larios immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 10. She's now a Harvard-educated physician.
"DACA has made it possible to apply and graduate from Harvard Medical School," she said. "It has made it possible for me to continue my residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital. And this executive order allows me to do what I love most—taking care of patients."
Doris Landaverde, a Harvard custodian, also spoke at the rally. She came here from El Salvador in 2000, received her high school diploma last year, and said she dreams of graduating from college.
"I wanna fight for residence, permanent, for all immigrants, because I wanna finish my school," she said. "I don't know if I will graduate when I'm 90 years old, but this is my dream."
Doris said she hopes the Supreme Court protects her against President Donald Trump's efforts to have her deported.
WBZ NewsRadio's Mike Macklin (@mikemacklinwbz) reports
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